Tuesday, August 18, 2015

True Crime Tuesday: Popular Crimes by Bill James

My brother was the one who first recommended this book to me. I bought it on my Kindle, and after re reading it multiple times, I ordered a paperback copy for my true crime shelf. It's one of those books that you find something new in every time you read it.

James, originally a baseball statistician, takes a fresh look at true crime and the public's fascination with them. From Lizzie Borden to the Black Dahlia to JonBenet Ramsey, James examines crime rates, evidence collection, the prison system, and even offers up some solutions of his own. He offers his own take on why we as a society love reading true crime stories, and the impact they have on our cultures as a whole.

What is especially impressive is that James revisits his own book in updated editions. He answers comments from readers that suggest one of his solutions might be flawed, by doing even more research. He adds new crime stories to his repertoire. James, like his readers, is fascinated by true crime stories himself, and comes at his subject like a reader who constantly wants to know more.